The Tierce and the Prime
by gluglug
Summary: LL Ep 4.11 - What happened in the church after Reverend Skinner interrupts....


Title: The Tierce and The Prime  
  
Author: Gluglug  
  
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Fourth Season (Ep 4.11 In the Clamor and the Clangor)  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: What happened in the church after Reverend Skinner interrupts  
  
A/N: Okay, I know I've already written a fic about this episode but I feel like we still needed a scene between the Reverend catching L/L in the church and the next day.  
  
Luke seemed to be in a good mood when he was talking to Mama Kim and Lorelai was eating at Weston's the following day and Rory said she sounded distracted. I wonder what accounted for that? This was inspired by a lot of the thoughtful talk on the TWOP and Forum 4 Fans boards. This is meant to be more of a friendship story and an antidote to all of the "We're not friends" stuff Lorelai was spouting in the diner.  
  
"What do you care?"  
  
"I care."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I don't want you to move."  
  
"Why? Why don't you want me to move?"  
  
Lorelai paused and rolled her eyes in exasperation. How could she respond to Luke's question when she was unsure how to articulate her own feelings?  
  
Suddenly the back room of the church opened and Reverend Skinner appeared. Lorelai and Luke froze like school kids caught playing hooky.  
  
"Lorelai? Luke?" Reverend Skinner eyed them suspiciously until he saw the tools in their hands.  
  
"Oh, thank God. Carry on." He closed the door to leave them alone.  
  
Lorelai and Luke turned to each other, not quite believing that he let them off the hook so easily. As they sighed in relief, Luke forgot that Lorelai hadn't gotten a chance to answer his question.  
  
Lorelai decided that Reverend Skinner's appearance was some sort of divine intervention and didn't question it.  
  
She looked at Luke. "You heard the Reverend - carry on. We're doing God's work!"  
  
Luke nodded. "Yeah, I don't want to be smited. Okay - you hold the big flashlight and I'll go up to the bell tower and create a miracle."  
  
A few minutes later, Luke returned to Lorelai.  
  
"Our job is done here. Those bells won't be bothering this town ever again." Luke said with a mixture of pride and amusement as he gathered his tools and put them into his toolbox.  
  
Lorelai sighed. "You should be sainted. Oh wait, there already is a Saint Luke."  
  
"That's okay - I'd rather not be a saint."  
  
"You put up with me, that calls for sainthood." Lorelai mused as she sat down in one of the pews.  
  
"You have a point there." Luke agreed as he sat down next to her.  
  
Lorelai looked at her watch - it was close to midnight. "Gee, I guess you're not going home to Nicole tonight are you?"  
  
Here we go again, he thought. "I guess not, it's too late to drive there and I have to be at the diner at 5:30 for my bread delivery anyway."  
  
"Were you planning to sleep there tonight, Luke?"  
  
"Well, Nicole's still not feeling so good, so I guess not."  
  
"You know, Luke, I've heard a rumor that married couples actually share the same bed, even when one of them is ill. You know, for better or for worse?"  
  
"Yeah, and that's why so many spouses get sick. Hey, are you judging me again?" Luke said exasperatedly.  
  
"No, I just want you to admit to me that you have mixed feelings about living with Nicole."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it's true. You keep looking for excuses not to spend the night with her. Your apartment looks even more like a lived in bachelor pad than ever before. Actions speak louder than words, Luke."  
  
Luke sighed, he really couldn't argue with her anymore. "Okay, maybe I have some doubts about it."  
  
"Then why did you agree to move in with her?"  
  
"I don't know, I guess it sounded like a good idea. Nicole thought we should try living together - we won't know if our marriage will work if we don't try it. So I agreed. I guess the idea sounded better in theory than practice. It's tough to run the diner here and live with her in Litchfield."  
  
"Well sooner or later, Nicole's gonna get the message, if she hasn't noticed already. I mean, I don't know her very well, but she seems like an intelligent woman."  
  
"She is." Luke agreed.  
  
"Then you need to talk to her, Luke."  
  
"What do I tell her? That I'm not ready for cohabitation even though we already have the townhouse? She won't be happy."  
  
"You'll figure something out." Lorelai assured him.  
  
"Wait, so now you don't have an opinion on this?" Luke asked.  
  
"I'm trying some restraint." Lorelai chuckled.  
  
They paused and were quiet for a second. Luke suddenly remembered something.  
  
"Okay, since I was honest with you about this situation, I want to ask you something."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Before the Reverend discovered us, I asked you a question."  
  
"I remember." Lorelai nodded, her heartbeat accelerating.  
  
"Do you have an answer for me?" Luke implored.  
  
Lorelai got up from the pew and started to pace the floor, her arms crossed in front of her. "I don't know. I guess I'm just so used to having you live here - you're a part of this town, my life." She paused. "Do you remember a while back I asked you if you would always be there for me, that I could always count on you? You said that I could."  
  
Luke nodded, remembering that night in diner after Rory's Romeo & Juliet performance. "I remember."  
  
"Well, I guess the idea of you moving makes me wonder if you'll be able to keep that promise."  
  
"Lorelai, I told you that nothing's changed." Luke started to feel like a broken record.  
  
"But it HAS changed."  
  
"Even if I don't move in with Nicole?" Luke asked.  
  
"Maybe not this second, but things are changing Luke.and I don't like change. It's been a year of big changes for me, adjusting to Rory being away at Yale, the Dragonfly opening and then there's dealing with my parents and Jas.." Lorelai stopped herself.  
  
"Jas?" Luke asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
Lorelai felt caught for the second time that night and was embarrassed; she had also been keeping a secret from Luke. "Um, Jason Stiles, he's this guy I've been seeing for a couple of months."  
  
"Oh really?" Luke said, giving her a knowing look. "And when were you planning on telling me this?"  
  
"Oh come on, Luke. You not telling me about Nicole and you isn't the same as me not telling you that I'm dating someone."  
  
"Okay - but if my personal life is your business, shouldn't yours be mine?" Luke challenged.  
  
Lorelai sighed and returned to the pew. "Okay, fine. What do you want to know?"  
  
"Honestly? Nothing." Luke replied.  
  
"Nothing? You're not the least bit curious?" Lorelai was a little insulted.  
  
Luke felt a twinge of jealousy but tried to ignore it. "Well, um. The only thing I guess I'd want to know is that he's treating you well..isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, he is." Lorelai was thinking about Jason's beautifully appointed guest room. Lorelai didn't want to think about the irony that neither she nor Luke was literally sleeping with their significant others.  
  
"Good."  
  
They were quiet again. Lorelai had the urge to stay up all night and tell Luke all about the drama of hiding her relationship with Jason from her parents, but she realized he would probably call her on her hypocrisy and reconsidered. Besides, it was getting really late.  
  
"So, Luke. Are we good?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"We're still friends?" Lorelai asked hopefully.  
  
Luke turned to her and smiled. "Always."  
  
Lorelai smiled back at him and moved closer to Luke, not fighting the urge to wrap her arms around him. Luke was surprised at this sudden burst of affection but returned the embrace. They just sat there holding each other - it was probably only a few seconds but it seemed much longer.  
  
Lorelai pulled back and looked at Luke - he was giving her that look, the one where the skeptical glare in his eye was replaced by affection and tenderness. She didn't see it very often, but when it appeared it made her heart skip a beat. Lorelai looked down at her watch - it was almost one AM.  
  
"Oh my god, it's really late, Luke. And you have to get up in like ten minutes!"  
  
Luke knew she was exaggerating but he had a feeling that she was trying to make her escape. That was Lorelai, doing her usual dance. She would probably do it to this Jason guy, too.  
  
"Yeah, let's get out of here. I think I spent more time in this church tonight than I have in my entire life."  
  
They both got up from the pew, Luke picked up Bert and they left the church. It was snowing even more heavily than before.  
  
"Wow, it looks like it snowed a foot since we were inside!" Lorelai exclaimed. The town looked even prettier if it were possible.  
  
"Will you be able to walk home okay?" Luke was concerned. "Do you want me to drive you?"  
  
"No, it's okay, I'll be fine. If not you'll find me in a snowdrift somewhere behind Gypsy's garage." She paused, noticing that he still had that look. "Luke, you don't have to worry about me, I'll make it."  
  
They made their way to the diner in silence until Lorelai broke it.  
  
"Well good night, Quasimodo. It's been fun."  
  
"Good night, Lorelai."  
  
Lorelai felt better that things were okay again between them. She kept thinking about that look that Luke had given her - it warmed her on this cold, snowy night as she made her way home. As she waded through her snowy walk, she promised herself she would shovel it tomorrow. Of course she realized she would need to borrow it from Luke.  
  
Luke entered his apartment. Lorelai was correct indeed - he was still living there as much as he hated to admit it. He crawled into his messy, unmade bed and hoped he could get a few hours of sleep. He reflected on their evening together - it was the most fun he had in a while, in spite of the arguing or perhaps even because of it.  
  
They had reaffirmed their friendship - it wasn't the easiest of relationships but Luke felt that every bump in the road they got through together made the journey more worthwhile.  
  
THE END 


End file.
